Avery, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeup! It was 1981 on the Yamaha upright (U1 maybe?) in the apartment of our late friend, Newton Hunt, assisted by Mike Miccio & Evan Giller, all CTEs I believe. The verdict was " whadaya think guys? .....he can tune". I'm proud to believe I have not let them down. ah, the good ole days.....I think machines took over the next year. Bruce ----- Original Message ----- From: "Avery Todd" <avery@ev1.net> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2003 7:27 PM Subject: Re: OT More Realistic Test was RE: tuning exam in U.S. > Bruce, > > You took your tuning test on a vertical??????? I'm a CTE and as far as I > know, NO one takes their tuning exam on a vertical! > > Avery > > At 01:06 PM 06/22/03 -0400, you wrote: > >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o = > >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = > >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = > >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"> > >Alan, Thanks for the humor - some days there just isn't > >enough - actually, I did take my tuning exam on a Yamaha vertical > >without benefit of acutuner - just 3 pairs of RPT ears. Bruce > >>----- Original Message ----- > >>From: <mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net>Alan > >>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>'Pianotech' > >>Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2003 12:51 AM > >>Subject: OT More Realistic Test was RE: tuning exam in U.S. > >> > >>I think it would be a much more realistic test-with regard to the reality > >>of the tuner's life--if we were required to tune a 1940's-1960's spinet > >>(Betsy Ross, Winter & Sons, P.A. Stark or comparable). No Acusonics! > >>Wurlitzers may suffice if they've been stored in a garage with broken > >>windows in Louisiana or Saskatchewan for at least twenty years. > >> > >>The passing requirement would be that a panel of amateur musicians can > >>recognize the sound of it as something at least sort of a little bit kind > >>of musical in nature. If more than two panel members cry, moan, or run > >>from the room, you flunk. > >> > >>And the selected piano would have to be in reasonable condition, defined > >>as follows (additional rules interspersed): > >> > >> * No more than six missing strings; no more than two of which may be > >> single bass strings. No more than five bichord sets may have strings > >> that match in diameter, length of wrap, and degree of rustiness. > >> * Some felt must be visible between hammer molding and strings on at > >> least 1/3" of the treble notes. No more than 8 felts popped off bass > >> hammers. Tenor hammer grooves less than ½" deep, on average. > >> * When played, bass strings must make some sort of noise that > >> sustains for at least 0.27 seconds. If the hammer thwack reverberates > >> this long, it must not be louder than the string noise. > >> * At least one pedal must move up and down when pressed (sideways > >> movement does not count but is otherwise allowed). > >> * Broken key tops with sharp edges are allowed. The prospective RPT > >> should have a supply of Band-Aids on hand or on foot. Band-Aids may NOT > >> be used to repair or muffle any piano part! > >> * When pressed, at least 37 keys must come back up within two minutes > >> WITHOUT excessive help from the player. Thumping the piano with a fist > >> is permitted; screw drivers and pry bars are not. > >> * Bench must not completely collapse when sat upon by persons with > >> average-sized, average weight buttocks. > >> * Squeaks, rattles, and woody thunks must not be louder, on average, > >> than played notes. > >> * If the tuner is unable to open the lid, remove the front panel, or > >> otherwise gain access to the tuning pins within three hours, he or she > >> is permitted to ask the piano owner how the hell previous tuners did it. > >> * If A4 is more than 153 cents sharp or flat, the tuner is allowed an > >> extra ten minutes for a pitch adjustment but he must not charge the > >> piano owner any extra for this. > >> * Bridges must still be stuck to something inside the piano. > >> * There must be no more than one inch of plastic elbow dust and mouse > >> poop (combined) on the bottom board. Measurements will be taken in > >> eleven locations and averaged. Dead spiders may be removed before > >> measuring; leave the live ones alone. Local chapters may decide if snake > >> skins and/or snakes may be removed or must be measured. Note: If the > >> bottom board is missing or all debris has sifted through a humongous > >> crack in the board, this requirement may be waved. > >> * If the pinblock is in average condition or worse, the tuner is > >> allowed an extra twenty minutes of tuning time and may use up to three > >> liquids, four sheets of sandpaper, and a 2½ lb. sledge hammer to fine > >> tune the instrument. Note: If the tuner accidentally (or purposefully) > >> affixes any protruding part of his or her body to any part of the piano > >> or to any tool, he or she must continue with the test as best he or she > >> can-using his or her other hand or doing it with his or her forehead > >> "resting" on the bench, for example. The tuner is discouraged from > >> holding tools with his or her teeth as this is considered undignified. > >> If the tuner accidentally (or purposefully) affixes his or her teeth to > >> any part of the piano, he or she is immediately disqualified and all > >> observers will leave the room so the tuner can work out his or her problem. > >> * Finally, there will be no effort made to "de-tune" the piano prior > >> to the test as this process, however random or planned, would almost > >> certainly make the piano sound better. > >> > >> > >>Faked medical emergencies will not stop the test from proceeding! If > >>there appears to be actual loss of consciousness AND the skin assumes a > >>deep blue color, the committee chairman may ask the judging panel to > >>"hurry it along," just in case. > >> > >> > >> > >>Bribes are a private matter. It would be of questionable taste to discuss > >>financial arrangements or flash any cash in front of the whole group. > >>Personal checks will not be accepted. For your convenience, there will be > >>credit card terminals in the back of the room on the table next to where > >>the Grief Counselors and uninvited street bums are sitting. (The > >>counselors will have special name tags, the bums will have ordinary name > >>tags, just like yours.) > >> > >> > >> > >>And-this is important-during the test evaluation, the tuner (and any > >>possible accomplices) are strictly forbidden from humming, whacking a > >>chair leg with a spoon, or in any other manner trying to simulate (or > >>cover up) sounds coming from the alleged piano. > >> > >> > >> > >>After all, we have our standards. > >> > >> > >> > >>Alan R. Barnard > >> > >>Salem, MO > >> > >>-----Original Message----- > >>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On > >>Behalf Of Dave Nereson > >>Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2003 10:05 PM > >>To: Pianotech > >>Subject: Re: tuning exam in U.S. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>----- Original Message ----- > >>From: <mailto:alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk>Alan Forsyth > >>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>Pianotech > >>Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 1:49 PM > >>Subject: Tuning narrow and wide > >> > >>Tony Caught, Adelaide Australia wrote; > >> > >> >>>"In America when you sit for a tuning exam, can you do the exam on a > >>Yamaha U1 piano ?....">>> > >> > >>Probably the easiest piano in the world to tune aurally! > >> > >>No, our Piano Technicians Guild tuning exam requires a 6-foot or larger > >>grand in reasonably good condition. > >> --David Nereson, RPT > >> > >> > >>--- > >>Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > >>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >>Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003 > >> > >>--- > >>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > >>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >>Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003 > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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